Carriage and upright mounting for lift truck



g- 21, 1956 B. l. ULlNSKl I 2,759,562

CARRIAGE AND UPRIGHT MOUNTING FOR LIFT TRUCK Filed Dec. 2, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 6 M'A/J k1 B. l. ULlNSKl Aug. 21, 1956 CARRIAGE AND UPRIGHT MOUNTING FOR- LIFT TRUCK 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 2, 1953 I l l l l l I L I Ir ATTORNEY Aug. 21, 1956 B. l. ULlNSKl 2,759,562v

CARRIAGE AND UPRIGHT MOUNTING FOR LIFT TRUCK Filed Dec. 2, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 l I l Z4 Z3 Z3 INVENTOR 6.17 a/A k,

ATTORN EY -Aug. 21, 1956 B. l. ULINSKI 2,759,562

CARRIAGE AND UPRIGHT MOUNTING FOR LIFT TRUCK Filed Dec. 2, 1955 4 heets-sneet 4 ATTORNEY United State Patent F .x

CARRIAGE AND UPRIGHT MOUNTING FOR LIFT TRUCK Broni'slaus I. Ulinski, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company, Stamford, Conn-., a corporation of Connecticut Application December 2, 1953, Serial No. 395,778

4 Claims. (Cl. 187'9) This invention relates to an industrial truck, and particularly to the mounting of a lifting platform for movement on secondary uprights that are in. turn adapted for movement relatively to primary uprights of the truck. In trucks of the particular class, it is customary to utilize a pair of transversely spaced uprights called primary uprights and to mount between these uprights a pair of secondary uprights adapted to move vertically relatively to the primary uprights. The load carriage or platform is then mounted for vertical movement relatively to the secondary uprights, generally through a series of when mounted on the carriage and moving the channels formed in the secondary uprights.

When the load carriage or load platform carries atrans versely offset load it has atendenc'y' to tilt o'r cock in a transverse direction relatively tothe secondary uprights. This tendency to cock applies severe transverse wedging stresses between the secondary uprights as those skilled in the art willfully appreciate.

The particular problem has been in existence'for'aconsiderable period of time and many attempts have Been made to solve the problem. As a matter of fact, in an earlier application filed by me on April 6 1 953; Serial No. 346,955, and now Patent No. 2",7'3l",l'64, f utilize means for locking the carriage against cocking relatively to the uprights in all positions of the carriage; the articular means there being in the form of pin-ions coactihg with racks. The structure of. my earlier applicatidn is very effective, but is relatively costly as those skilled in the art will appreciate.

In an application assigned to my assigne'e', The Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company; by George Quayle; Serial No. 367,504, filed July 13", 1953, a further attempt is made to solve the problem. Quayle proposes to utilize only one of the secondary uprights to hold the carriage against transverse tilting and consequent spreading of the uprights. Because the carriage is held against transverse tilting by one of the uprights, it cannot exert a twisting or bending force between the uprights. While the results obtained by Quayle are efEective, the Quayle construction is not entirely satisfactory because all the stresses are applied to a single upright. Inaddition, means having relatively considerable friction are required in the carrying out of the Quayle concepts 1 have now conceived a structure that solves the problem in a most unique manner through means that are conventional and which operate in a most satisfactory fashion. Thus, my invention is based on the novel com cept of mounting the secondary uprights in slight-longitudinally offset relation tothe pri-rnary uprights, this slight ofiset relation being merely enough-- to position avery small part of the secondaryup-rights longitudinally beyond the primary uprights. This gives the a surfae'e' on each secondary upright available for the application thereto of a roller carried by the carriage: It is quiteobvious then that these rollers will he i'ncap'ab'1eofappl ingtwist ing or wedging stresses between the secondary uprights 2,759,562 7 Patented Aug. 21, 1956 since the rollers coact with the outer surfaces of the secondary uprights.

It will be considered further that,- while my invention does place a small part of the secondary uprights beyond the primary uprights; this part of the secondary uprights accounts for an exceedingly small portion of the length of the truck, since for all practical purposes the primary and secondary uprights may be considered to be in longitudinal aligned relationship; the slight offset portion of the secondary upright being inconsequential from a prac: tical viewpoint, Thereby, I avoid that construction of the prior art in which the secondary and primary uprights are spaced longitudinally ofthe truckrather than in transverse alignment.

My inventionmakes possible further a very practical and simple means for limiting the upward movement of the lifting carriage relatively to the secondary uprights. Thus, by merely welding lugs on the secondary uprights where those uprights extend longitudinally beyond the primary uprights,- I provide means for coacting with the outer rollers of the carriage to limit the upward movement of the carriage relatively to the secondary uprights. I prefer to equip the carriagewithrollers coacting with the inside surfaces of the secondary uprights, and other rollers coacti-ng with the outer surliacesof the secondary uprights. These latter rollers are mounted on the lower end of the carriage and are the rollers that will limit the upward movement of the carriage by coacting with the lugs welded to the secondary uprights;-

I- have thusout-lined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additionalfeatures of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which: may disclosure is based may readily be utilized as abasis for the designing of other structures forcarryingout the several purposes of my invention. Itis important; therefore, that the claims be regarded as including. such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention, inorder to prevent the appropriation of my invention bythose skilled in" the art.

Referring new to the drawings:

Fig; 1 is a side view of a truck embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view' taken on" the'li'ne' 2 -"-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig; 3 is a'= side view showing the uprights and load carriage.

Fig. 4 is a-front view of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a-rear'view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3 to illustrate the ccaction between the carriage and secondary uprights;

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view on the line 6'6 in Fig; 7 is alan" illustrating the action of the carriage stop lugs.

Fig. 8 is=a rrent viewer-Flew I Referring now inure particularly to the drawings; I show in Figs; 1 and 2' an industrial truck T hav'ing' a main frame 10 upon which a pair df' r imaiy uprights 11 are mounted in transversely spaced relation at the front of the truclr. The=p rllnary uprights 1 1 are channel members haying'uheir channelsfacing-- inwardly, as'clearl y shown in Fig; 6; and joined at their lbwer ends by a horiion'tal cros'srnenthe'r' 1 2 and at their upper ends a cross-member 13; as best seen in Figs. 1, 2", and; The primary uprights 1 1 are pivoted to the main frame lll through pivots 14", Fig. 3, and are' adapted to be tilted on these pivots By tilt rains" 1 5, as will be understood by ICC persons acquainted with the art. It may be considered, however, that the primary uprights are fixed relatively to the main frame as to vertical movement.

In the transverse space between the primary uprights 11 are a pair of transversely spaced secondary uprights 16, these secondary uprights also being channel members with their channels facing in an inward direction. The outer sides of the secondary uprights 16 are juxtaposed to the primary uprights 11, and are equipped with rollers 17 moving in the channels of the uprights 11 whereby to guide the secondary uprights for vertical movement. The secondary uprights 16 are integrally joined at their lower ends by a vertical cross member 18 positioned adjacent the front face of the uprights, Figs. 2 and 6, and at their upper ends by a vertical cross member 19 positioned at the rear face of the uprights 16.

The truck T has a load carriage 20 at the front of the primary and secondary uprights 11, 16, and this load carriage is equipped with a pair of vertical bracket members 21 extending rearwardly at the inner sides of the secondary uprights 16. The bracket members 21 carry an upper pair of stub shafts 22, Figs. and 6, and a lower pair of stub shafts 23, and upon these shafts are mounted rollers 24 engaged in the channels of the secondary uprights 16 to mount the load carriage 20 for vertical movement. To enable the lower pair of stub shafts 23 to move with their rollers 24 to a relatively low point at the lower ends of the secondary uprights 16, I form the lower edges of each bracket member 21 with a notch 24a, Fig. 3, that provides clearance relatively to the lower cross member 18 on these uprights. Also, I form openings 24b, Fig. 6, in the lower cross member 12 on the primary uprights 11, the lower stub shafts 23 and rollers 24 moving in these openings to their lowermost position.

Merely by way of example, I show for lifting the load carriage 20 a construction that forms the subject of my application, Ser. No. 395,040 filed November 30, 1953. Thus, I show on the rear side of the primary uprights 11 an intermediate cross member 25, Figs. 2 and 6, upon which is a support 26 extending forwardly in the space between the secondary uprights 16. A lift ram 27 is positioned in an opening in the support 26, and is seated on the support through a collar 28 on the ram. The upper end of the ram 27 has a cross head 28a that carries a pair of wheels 29, Figs. 4, 7, and 8, over which are reeved intermediate parts of a pair of lift chains 30. Each chain 36 is attached at one end to a collar 31 on the cylinder of the ram 27, and at its opposed end to an integrally extending part 32, Figs. 5 and 6, of the stub shafts 23 on the load carriage 20. Thereby the ram 27, when extended upwardly, lifts the carriage 20. Also, the cross head 28a has at its rear side a stud 33, Figs. 4, 7, and 8, positioned in a vertical slot 34 in the upper cross member 19 on the secondary uprights 16. Through I this arrangement, the cross head 28a upon predetermined upward movement lifts also the secondary uprights 16. I shall not elaborate further upon the details of the carriage lifting mechanism, and for the purposes of the present application, it is necessary merely to know that the lift ram 27 lifts the load carriage 20 relatively to the secondary uprights 16.

To appreciate the exceedingly novel contribution that I shall herein claim, it is important to note that the secondary uprights 16 are positioned substantially in alignment with the primary uprights 11 in a transverse direction, as Well shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The secondary uprights 16 thereby do not account for any substantial part of the length of the truck. It will be observed, nevertheless, that small portions of the secondary uprights 16 do extend slightly longitudinally beyond the front edges of the primary uprights 11. Thereby, the outer side surface 35 of each secondary upright 16, while juxtaposed toa primary upright 11, has a portion extending forwardly from the primary upright.

I mount upon the lower portion of the load carriage 20 a pair of guide rollers 36, Figs. 5 and 6, these rollers being juxtaposed to the front edges of the primary uprights 11, and so positioned as to roll along the see ondary uprights 16 in contact with their forwardly extending outer side surfaces 35. Near the top of the load carriage 20, I provide a further pair of guide rollers 37 that engage the inner surfaces of the secondary uprights 16 in opposed relation to the lower rollers 36. As particular means for mounting the rollers 36 and 37, I prefer to utilize stub shafts 38 positioned in openings in the load carriage 20 and equipped with flanges 39 attached to the carriage by screws 40, Fig. 4. Obviously, the upper guide rollers 37 hold the upper portion of the load carriage 20 against transverse movement relatively to the secondary uprights 16, and the lower guide rollers 36 similarly hold the lower portion of the carriage. The rollers 36, 37 thereby prevent transverse cooking of the load carriage 20. Nevertheless, because the rollers 36 eoact with the outer surfaces 35 of the secondary uprights 16, these rollers cannot apply twisting or wedging stresses between these uprights when the carriage 21) tends to cock.

The novel construction that I have described enables me also to utilize novel means for limiting the upward movement of the load carriage 20 relatively to the secondary uprights 16. Thus, I equip the secondary uprights 16 with stop lugs 41, Figs. 7 and 8, extending from the outer sides 35 of these uprights at the proper point in the path of the outer guide rollers 36. When the load carriage 20 moves to a predetermined elevation relatively to the secondary uprights 16, the guide rollers 36 strike the stop lugs 41 and thereby limit the extent of this movement.

I believe that persons skilled in the art will now clearly understand the exceedingly novel construction through which I prevent the application by the load carriage of wedging stresses to the secondary uprights 16. In my construction, the guide rollers 36, 37 cannot apply wedging stresses to the uprights, and yet the guide rollers 36, 37 are so arranged as to enable the secondary uprights to be mounted substantially in transverse alignment with the primary uprights 11. Actually, the guide rollers 36, 37, together with the secondary uprights 16, occupy very little space on the truck in addition to that occupied by the primary uprights 11. I believe that the very considerable value of my invention will now be appreciated.

I now claim:

1. A truck of the class described comprising a pair of primary uprights mounted in transverse spaced relation on said truck, a secondary upright juxtaposed to each of said primary uprights parallel thereto and in offset relation thereto in a direction lengthwise of said truck and in overlapping relation transversely of said truck with a relatively small portion of each of said secondary uprights extending forwardly of said primary uprights, rollers mounted between said secondary uprights and said primary uprights and through which said secondary uprights engage said primary uprights for vertical movement relatively to said primary uprights, a carriage, guide means mounting said carriage for vertical movement on said secondary uprights, and guide means additional to said first-mentioned guide means carried by said carriage and engaging the outside surfaces of the forwardly projecting portions of said secondary uprights for guiding said carriage relatively to said secondary uprights to prevent the cocking thereof relatively to said secondary uprights.

2. A truck of the class described comprising a pair of primary uprights mounted in transverse spaced relation on said truck, a secondary upright juxtaposed to each of said primary uprights parallel thereto and in offset relation thereto in a direction lengthwise of said truck and in overlapping relation transversely of said truck with a relatively small portion of each of said secondary uprights extending forwardly of said primary uprights, rollers mounted between said secondary uprights and primary uprights for movably engaging said secondary and primary uprights and through which said secondary uprights are mounted for vertical movement relatively to said primary uprights, a carriage, rollers mounting said carriage for vertical movement on said secondary uprights, and rollers additional to said first-mentioned rollers carried by said carriage and engaging the outside surfaces of the forwardly projecting portions of said secondary uprights for guiding said carriage relatively to said secondary uprights to prevent the cocking thereof relatively to said secondary uprights.

3. A truck of the class described comprising a pair of primary uprights mounted in transverse spaced relation on said truck, a channeled secondary upright juxtaposed to each of said primary uprights parallel thereto and in offset relation thereto in a direction lengthwise of said truck and in overlapping relation transversely of said truck with a relatively small portion of each of said secondary uprights extending forwardly of said primary uprights, rollers between said secondary uprights and primary uprights for movably engaging said secondary and primary uprights and through which said secondary uprights are mounted for vertical movement relatively to said primary uprights, a carriage, rollers on said carriage engaging in the channels of said secondary uprights for mounting said carriage for vertical movement on said secondary uprights, and rollers additional to said firstmentioned rollers carried by said carriage and engaging the outside surfaces of the forwardly projecting portions of said secondary uprights for guiding said carriage relatively to said secondary uprights to prevent the cooking thereof relatively to said secondary uprights.

4. A truck of the class described comprising a pair of primary uprights mounted in transverse spaced relation on said truck, a channeled secondary upright juxtaposed to each of said primary uprights parallel thereto and in offset relation thereto in a direction lengthwise of said truck and in overlapping relation transversely of said truck with a relatively small portion of each of said secondary uprights extending forwardly of said primary uprights to present a narrow guide surface, rollers mounted between said secondary uprights and primary uprights for movably engaging said secondary and primary uprights and through which said secondary uprights are mounted for vertical movement relatively to said primary uprights, a carriage, rollers on said carriage moving in the channels of said secondary uprights for mounting said carriage for vertical movement on said secondary uprights, and rollers additional to said firstmentioned rollers carried by said carriage on an axis substantially at right angles to said first rollers and engaging the said outside narrow guide surfaces of the forwardly projecting portions of said secondary uprights for guiding said carriage relatively to said secondary uprights to prevent the cocking thereof relatively to said secondary uprights.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,713,165 Bridge May 14, 1929 2,456,320 Repke Dec. 14, 1948 2,528,401 Ulinski Oct. 31, 1950 2,595,120 Barnes Apr. 29, 1952 2,642,157 Milz June 16, 1953 

